It is well known for cables that transmit digital electrical signals to be provided with a electromagnetic shield. Typically, this shield is in the form of a metal braid, metal or conductive plastic foil and drain wire, metal screen, or the like, which is arranged so as to isolate and protect the signal conductors within the cable from electromagnetic interference or to prevent the inducement of electromagnetic interference in neighboring equipment. A separate shield may be provided for each individual signal conductor, or a conductive shield may be provided around a bundle of signal conductors. A combination of one or more shields may be employed for added protection against electromagnetic interference and/or to improve the signal transmission properties of the cable. To terminate bundles of shielded cables, it is necessary not only to connect each of the individual wires, but also to ground each of the shields. Sometimes the shields are commonly interconnected, while other times groups of shields must be placed at differing electrical potentials. In addition, it is often necessary to mechanically bundle one or more whole cables together so as to provide for strain relief for the bundle.
A number of techniques are known in the art for terminating one or more shielded cables. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,376, issued to Schuhl, et. al., an adaptor for an electrical connector is disclosed which enables the shields of a number of shielded electrical wires to be terminated, and which also provides electromagnetic shielding for the wires. Schuhl's connector includes an electrically conductive outer body having a central aperture through which a plurality of wires are positioned, an electrically conductive shielding member that can be positioned within the aperture, and a plurality of electrically conductive hollow deformable ferrules. One of the ferrules is coaxially positioned over each of the wires so as to be in electrical engagement with the wire's shield. The shielding member is a sprocket-shaped annular ring having a central through-bore and a plurality of recesses located around its periphery. The ferrules are sized and shaped to be held in a corresponding one of the recesses of the shielding member when the ferrules are deformed during assembly of Schuhl's connector. A split, tapered ring holds the ferrules securely in the recesses of the shielding member so that a locking ring may be tightened to hold the assembly together. Schuhl's ferrules are apparently capable of being removed from their respective recesses so that the connector may be disassembled for repair.